Protecting Playgrounds: The Hidden Danger No One Talks About Part 3 of 3

In this powerful episode of Early Childhood Chats, we uncover the hidden dangers most childcare programs never think about: vehicles crashing into playgrounds, buildings, and drop-off areas. Safety expert Ken Skertich joins host Andy Roszak to break down what really puts early childhood facilities at risk—and what programs can do to prevent tragedy.From bollards and guardrails, to proper risk assessments, retrofitting, and real-world crash examples, this conversation is eye-opening for anyone working in childcare, Head Start, preschool operations, or facility management.Whether you're a director, owner, safety manager, or educator, this episode gives you practical, budget-friendly steps to protect your program, staff, and children.▶️ Topics Covered:• Why playground fences and building walls aren’t enough• What types of barriers actually stop vehicles• Budget-friendly ways to improve safety• How to assess your program’s vulnerabilities• Real-life crash incidents and what we can learn• What municipalities and insurance companies look for• How bollards and barrier systems work• New innovations in playground safety📌 Want a safer facility?Learn more about risk assessments, barriers, and expert support to help protect your childcare program.Learn More about Ken & Resources:ProjectCore – https://www.projecore.com/Storefront Safety Council – www.storefrontsafetyinitiative.orgInstitute for Childhood Preparedness – www.childhoodpreparedness.orgStorefront Safety Resource Hub – www.childhoodpreparedness.org/storefrontsafety----------------------------Early Childhood Chats is hosted by Andrew Roszak - JD, MPA, EMT-PExecutive Director at the Institute for Childhood Preparedness. The Institute for Childhood Preparedness is proud to use its decades of experience to offer comprehensive and expert disaster and emergency preparedness trainings live in-person, via webinar, and on-demand online. // Visit: https://www.childhoodpreparedness.org/ to find out more // Schedule your training today https://www.childhoodpreparedness.org/trainingFOLLOW UShttps://www.instagram.com/childhoodpreparedness/ https://www.facebook.com/ChildPreparedhttps://twitter.com/ChildPreparedhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/institute-for-childhood-preparedness© Institute for Childhood Preparedness 2025 all rights reserved